Great food , great wine and great staff. A top little joint to pop in for a quick bowl of pasta at the bar or graze on some of Melbourne's best pizza and antipasti .
This is one of the best Pizza's I've ever had.. And the meal was spectacular.. That chef is so creative with food. Soooo much flavour!!!
The pepperoni pizza is to die for!!! Love this place!!!
Have been here a couple of times now and wouldn't hesitate in recommending Rita's to any of my friends. Great quality food at good prices and the staff cannot do enough. The place was buzzing each time we were there. A great little cafe we will go back to again and again.
Best pizza in Melbourne. Always delicious and always worth them $$$.
The best gnocchi I've eaten! Great service, friendly staff & awesome food.... I highly recommend a night out at Rita's!!
Great food, they stuffed up our order and went over and beyond to rectify it, would highly recommend
Cool place, friendly service, great food, good wine list & reasonable prices �
What a great Italian restaurant; pizza and pasta dishes as good as in Italy 🇮🇹
A favourite for delicious pizza and salads. The last time we visited we got the wagyu bolognaise linguini and it was sensational!
Honest, f'ing amazing food... Salty pig was the best pizza I've had in australia
We've been regulars for about 4 years now. Always delicious and excellent!
Brilliant as usual. Great food, great staff.
Fantastic home made Italian food!!! One of my favourite places!
Am definitely coming back. Great food and service with a relaxed and happy vibe.
Best pizza I've had in Melbourne.. Literally.. So good.. Yum yum yum
Simply Amazing. The pizza is the best I've had since 2001
I’d heard rave reviews about Rita’s and was very excited to try it. It was good but, unfortunately, didn’t live up to my expectations. The pizza tasted good and was generous with the toppings but the crust was a bit doughy and the quality of ingredients seemed to be lacking a bit. I felt fine about the order given my EatClub discount but don’t know if I’d pay full price.
Best pizza ever!!! Amazing base & delicious toppings. Mushroom pizza is my favourite. Love the dine in or takeaway option. Highly recommend Rita’s
Love the friendly staffs as well as chilled vibe. Food was decent. If there is no noise of the train track it would have been perfect
The best!
Great pizza and the mussels are a must have.
Good selection of wine.
Hard to beat for the area.
Mamacita Foodie And Hola Con Lola
+5
Love pizza and pasta! My fav the cheese gnocchi
Cute little italian restaurant with friendly staff and tasty menu. Opting to share a few of the lighter dishes due to the heat we went for the arrancini, the meatballs, the caprese salad with prosciutto and the beans and cavalo nero. The beans and the arrancini were highlights. The meatballs were nice too. I was really impressed with the generous portion sizes as well
This Diner Is Anonymous
+5
Bloody amazing. Was drinking at Lulie and the good folk at Rita's kindly delivered two pizzas for us: the pumpkin and pizza one, and the meatballs one. The pumpkin one made us feel sanctimoniously healthy, and the meatball one did not. The perfect balance. Top notch pizzas and collaboration situation with Lulie.
Great pizzas with a perfect wood fired base that is a good balance between fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside! The density was just right and the toppings were of good quality. The service was fair and the seating limited - so best to book beforehand.
Came here on a Sat afternoon for lunch and was pleasantly surprised! The crab linguine pasta was flavorful and they were generous with the amount of crab and tomatoes that came with the dish! The pizza was also a winner and I love that they allow you to have 2 flavors in one pizza! You get the best of both worlds.
The Wandering Reviewer
+4
I find myself a great lover of pizza since started making my own at home but do still love to come out and try others. Tonight was a wonderful experience with such a delicious pizza. Quite simple decor with a feeling of being a little upmarket. But the prices don't necessarily put you off the vibe. WIne list is nice and good to see many local wineries included.
Friend had the bug bay shrimp pasta and said it was 'to die for'!
Portion sizes are good. Dietaries catered for.
Staff were extremely friendly. Take away available.
Wheelchair friendly. Stroller / pram friendly. Reasonable parking but watch out for those parking inspectors.
Amazing pizza’s
Can be a bit of a wait at times (I think if you are in a big group more so as they like to bring everything out together which is good)
I wish they were open every day as I work not far away
Legit best pizza in Melbourne. I’ve had most of them on the menu and all of them are great however the prawn pizza is my favourite. Not much more to say
The ideal pizza. Thin base, rich sauce, great toppings. I am super excited to go back again!
The meatball pizza is so rich its like eating lasagne, but in a good way.
Would give this place a 10 out of 5 rating! Seriously good food all round, one look at the unique pizza dough and I knew I was in for a treat. I also ordered the bay bug and shrimp pasta and each mouthful was filled with disbelief that something can taste so good.
The seating space is rather small however, our group of 8 barely fit into a table and they could not extend the seats due to the space. 6 people and below would be more comfortable.
Will be back for more.
Gluten Free. Potato Pizza. With...Proscuitto. Unbelievable. Ridiculous. One of thee most incredible gluten free bases I've ever eaten. Never cease to amaze me.
Can't comment on the service, never got the chance to dine in as it was always busy. First time visiting the place, the place was so packed we resolved to taking away our meals. Nowadays whenever I crave for pizza, Rita's would be my go to place for a takeaway. Love the base of the pizza, texture and taste.
Rita’s pizzas have carved out a special category in my food bibliography and it should in yours too. Their distinguishing characteristic is a puffy soft and airy pizza dough that’s coated in semolina, giving it a somewhat honest and homely vibe that takes away the guilt that’s normally associated with polishing off a large pizza and a half by yourself … ok, maybe that’s just me.
I have a drunken memory of exclaiming "this is the best pizza I've ever eaten!!!". It was mushroom. As these low quality blurry photos prove, it was soon all gone.
Everythinginitsrightplace
+4
Just to be clear I LOVE Rita’s. Have been coming here for years and am often overheard lauding it as the best pizza in Melbourne. There seems to have been some changes recently however...and in fact I think the pizzas have improved! (More generous toppings and a little oilier, in a good way) Well done Rita’s. However I MUST lament the deletion of the cod fritters from the menu, and the recent shift away from offering a small pizza size (single ladies?!). The cod fritters with the creamy aioli were the perfect starter and one I looked forward to very much. I have to say the entrees offered at the moment don’t cut the mustard and I no longer bother to order. The anchovy dip is too heavy, and very hard to get through, the arancini is OK...I feel like you could just lose the entrees all together at this stage and the menu would improve.
Lovely Rita’s.
Nothing better than a fresh out of the oven Margherita eaten in, deliveroo just doesn’t cut it.
The pasta is usually a big hit, however the current puttanesca I found mostly inedible. Far too salty. Far too little tomato flavour. Huge disappointment. Will stick with the gnocchi!
After driving past many times and seeing Rita's bursting at the seams, we decided to give this spot on a grungy but rapidly revitalising strip a go. That first experience has been rapidly followed by two more - love does not describe. The pasta selection is limited, but oh wow, just how good it is. Our favourites (in fact all we've had as we haven't been able to go past them): rigatoni with wagyu beef, spaghetti with bug tail and chili (to actually die for) and spaghetti putanesca. Must be served with a side of the iceberg lettuce salad with dill and washed down with a good red. It's not on your cheap eats list, nor a special occasion place, but it's simply brilliant food with efficient if not effusive service. Highly recommended
Amazing pizza. Pastas are tasty too.
A bit pricey but worth having it once or twice a month
Seating arrangements are little annoying for couples. Either by the bar or uncomfortably tall communal table
Love Love Love Ritas. They have the best pizza in Melbourne!! I have been getting take aways from here ever since my first visit from two years ago! The potato one is really really yummy with caramelised onion! Mushroom one was my favourite as well. When I feel like meat I will have the pepperoni one. Their tiramisu is so good as well. The only complain is they recently increased their price $25 a pizza is a just bit expensive..
Great pizzas. Am constantly here for Friday lunches or Friday night dinners. Bingo bango is a crowd favourite. And the pasta with lobster bisque is also amazing, though a little pricey.
Great Pizza/Italian!!! Not your classic thin crust pizza but is a long way ahead than your crust, dominos and pizza hut. The bread used for the base is great and you can tell it's made well by the great crust. Great service and the restaurant has a really good buzz.
A great spot for pizza, pasta and a vino near Vic park station. This place came recommend by a friend and the place was buzzing when we arrived. They only take bookings for larger groups so beware and call ahead if you’re with a gang. We learnt you need to put your name down on the waiting list earlier. The venue looks cool although our table for two outside could have used a spirit level but with the help of the talented staff we managed to balance all the plates and glassware. We skipped entrees and went straight for mains and had the salty pig pizza and ricotta gnocchi, both were AMAZING! The food was so good I stuffed my belly and couldn’t fit in desert. I’ve vowed to return to try the Nutella calzone which looks tempting.
Holy hell. This place is out of control. Best pizza I’ve ever had, and I’ve been to damn Italy. I ordered the mushroom pizza and the potato with Gorgonzola and both literally melted in my mouth, no chewing necessary. Love you forever Rita’s
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Wanted to try Rita's out for a while now and after a busy weekend the Sunday evening seemed perfect. We had our dog with us, so had to sit outside. We were standing near the door and ignored by the staff for a while, they didn't even say hi or that they would be right with us, they literally did not look at us. There are 4 tables which were all full, they put us on a list and would call us when a table would be free. We went to the off-lead dog park nearby in the meantime. When we got the call and got back all 4 tables were empty. We sat down and it took 10-15 minutes before someone came to see us. They said they would bring water, which again took ages. When we finally ordered, it took also really long for the food to come and other tables that arrived after us got their food before us. Just when we asked the first dishes came out. We had the bugtail linguine and the spaghetti vongole, also took an arancini to start with and a salad with burrata. We first got the salad and the arancini, and shortly after the pasta's arrived. The tables are very small though, so that wasn't very handy. Later I saw on the receipt they had requested to send it together, but they didn't actually discuss that with us. Salad was lovely, arancini was quite nice as well. Pasta's were nice too. Price for pasta's around $30 very high.
All and all I wouldn't go back. The quality of the food was good, but the price too high. The service was waaaaay too slow.
Great pizzas, there was 8 of us and everyone loved their pizza. The meatball pizza was amazing. Staff could be a like more attentive, we had to ask to order drinks and then food.
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I'm giving Rita's 5 stars purely for their quite remarkable service last Sunday night. Our loud, bossy, birthday party of 13 took up the centre table for the best part of 3 hours. I was feeling very pessimistic about the whole night, I'd never been to Rita's before so I was not sure what to expect. We brought with us two cakes (birthday girl's favorites), our own cream and strawberries. It was more than a birthday cake- it was a massive dessert. Not a problem we were told! Amara, our main waitress even offered to plate our cake for us after our mains, if we wanted her to. We were expected to be out by 8.30 for the next booking so we really were not sure whether we would have our dessert there or over at a friend's bar. I was really impressed by the offer. Amara managed to keep track of all orders, including food and drinks, put up with multiple interjections, requests for condiments, jugs, water, more drinks, extra chairs; the list went on. There was not one single mistake the whole night. Our drinks arrived quickly. Our food arrived all at once, no one had to wait. Pizzas were hot and delicious. The crust may not have been blistered the way I like it at Primo but they were really good. We thought that the bisque made the bug tail pasta a big gluggy, and would be better without it, but there was a very generous amount of bug meat. Fortunately, the next booking cancelled so we were able to stay on and have our fabulous dessert. The girls loaded us up with plates and cutlery, put our strawberries in a bowl and decanted our cream. Then out they came with our cakes- one with candles ablaze as we all broke into song. I hadn't had time to buy candles so I was really thrilled. Birthday girl of 22 was brimming with happiness: the atmosphere, the food, really affordable drinks for our younger guests on budgets. It was a fantastic night but all credit must go to Amara and the other girls who looked after us. Amara should go into business teaching people skills and the art of customer service. Seriously. In the USA this level of hospitality is pretty common but in Australia it can be rare- found more often in restaurants where many dollars have to be spent. Thank you everyone at Rita's for a making our night a perfect one.
I only popped in to get a takeaway hot chocolate and coffee. It was filled with the most delightful aroma of whatever was cooking in the kitchen. Pretty sure it was pizza. I'm definitely coming back to get food next time, but at least I know the hot chocolate and coffees are really great.
Got Uber Eats from here the other day and was very impressed. The mushroom pizza was really good and other pizza decent. Will definitely get again.
Great food! Had the pickled octopus for a starter, which was delicious. The pizza is really nice, it's up there with the best I've had anywhere in Melbourne.
Simply amazing. The pizza is the best in Melbourne. The lamb pappardelle simply melts in your mouth. The service is supreme. The prices are great on top. Pro tip: get the chefs table - the head chef is a master cook and bass player.
Love this place. Love taking people to this place. Best pizza. Definitely try the bug tail linguine. Bit of a wait at times (no reservations) but Dr Morse is across the road so no problemo.
We ate at the bar after having some drinks at Dr Morse. Octopus was good starter, came with bread too. Potato pizza was delicious with truffle oil and the prawn pizza was pretty solid too. Pizza dough was very nice and was cool sitting at the bar watching staff do their thing. Definitely worth a visit especially paired up with drinks at Dr Morse or Lulie Street Taven.
Great lil spot food, booze and service is good and is great value only suggestion would be to have the front door hinged on the other side so every time someone comes in and out the wind isnt blowing onto those sitting in the front window, which happens every few minutes cos the place is busy and does food delivery via foodora. Good honest set up would recommend!
Good little joint with a good selection of pizzas and pastas. Had the garlic and cheese pizza to start which was nice but very garlicky. Had the ricotta gnocchi with pumpkin and a burnt butter sauce it was superb. The comments about the surf and turf pizza was that it was exceptional but again too much garlic. Good friendly service
A family dining spot with lots of food selection from tapas style food to the classic Italians like pasta and pizza. We had the orchiette pasta with cream sauce. it was simple but a winning dish that I would go back to eat again. The mushrooms pizza drizzled with truffle oil was delish. It has soft interior with crusty exterior, a perfect dining experience.
My bestfriend and I have been going to Rita's regularly over the last 3 years and it has become our 'Friday Night, Date Night' ritual. During this time we have never, and I mean never had a bad experience. The food is consistently amazing, the service is always impeccable and it always has a good vibes atmosphere! So thank you Rita's, love from the two Friday night blondes - Bridget and Niki x
Finally a beautiful spring evening, with lovely friends for dinner at Rita's. Lovely place, like a modern Osteria. We had three pizzas and pasta which are all really good.
Been here a handful of times, sporadically over the last three years. We decided to have dinner during the week. Lucky we booked because this place gets hectic...and noisy.
Tonight we had the risotto, pappadelle, and a half prawn, half pumpkin pizza. The food was amazing. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. They were all well priced and decent portions.
Of course I had to try their tiramisu. In the past this has been fantastic, however, not so much this time round. It was thick and hard to eat or enjoy. It also was pretty bland. My friend had the berry crumble, and he finished that faster than we could say berry crumble. I wish I ordered that or a Nutella calzone instead.
As a whole this place is somewhere where I'd recommend. Parking is relatively easy, staff are indifferent (which isn't a bad thing), and besides my tiramisu, food and atmosphere were amazing.
I've been to Rita for many times and not one time disappointed with their pizza (I ordered pizza every time). Salmon... mushroom... prawn.... yum!!! The only thing to comment on is the speed it does take time for the food to come out so not somewhere to have a fast lunch.
Hands down best Italian I've had! The food is absolutely delicious, the prawn pizza and the lamb ribs are a must! Always super busy every day of the week but definitely worth the wait! Staff are super helpful with matching wine and all the rest. It might be a little pricey but worth every cent!
Absolutely impressed with every aspect of this amazing spot.
Genuine Italian at its' Melbourne finest.
Had the bug linguine - was as good as the atmosphere!
Best pizza in the area! Have dined there twice now, surf and turf and bingo bango pizzas were spot on!
Neat little venue, great for quiet feed and wine any night of the week.
My friends and I came to Rita's to celebrate a birthday dinner. The atmosphere was nice, and the service was good. I ordered the gnocchi, and waited a while to get my dish. I was one of the last of our group of about 10 people to receive their order. The dish was decent, but not particularly spectacular, and was very, very small for the price I paid. Whilst I enjoyed my friends' company and the overall ambiance of the venue, the dish really disappointed me. I was still very hungry once we were finished. After reading other reviews, I'll opt for the pizza next time.
Where has this place been hiding! The mushroom and truffle pizza was seriously the best I've ever had. Dare I say the pizzas are just as good if not better than DOC! Can't wait to go back to try their pasta...
Had a great pizza from this place, but when I ordered it, I saw the waiter make a phone call straight away. I thought this was weird, but then I noticed there were no chiefs in the kitchen. 20 minutes later a dominos delivery driver turned up and I watched them put the pizza from the box onto a plate.
Still, it was a great pizza and 20 minutes is an excellent turn around. Highly recommend, will definitely go back.
Great pizza , cripsy tasty bases, and great fresh tasting toppings.
Huge fan of this place!
Not so much the pasta though, but the pizza i have come back for many times.
I loooove this place. I am from Perth, but my friends live around the corner and Rita's is always a reliable place to head for pizza or pasta. OMG the pizza is so divine... I want some now! It took us a while to get in at the last minute on a Sat night, but we wandered up the road to the Yarra for a pint and before we new it our table was available. Suuuu-perb!
I love coming to Rita's for a pizza lunch on a Friday (also has lunch at weekends). They have pizzas with a thin base and a wide range to choose from. Coffee excellent.
Moni | Thoughts Of A Moni
+3.5
The food here is excellent, with both pizzas and pastas of amazing quality. I had the ricotta gnocchi which was soft and fluffy with a crispy outside. The atmosphere is super loud though. It is difficult to have a conversation across the table, and the place is always packed with people standing around drinking, as well as seated on tables. It's more a place for young people to go for dinner and drinks to start the night off, rather than a romantic, or even family dinner.
This place is amazing! The service is excellent, we had a big group and asked to change tables, which they accommodated without fuss.
The pizzas are up there with the best in Melbourne, highlights were the prosciutto and the mushroom. The ricotta gnocchi was also great.
The wine list is smallish but incredibly well priced, the most expensive bottle was $54 but was really high quality.
Overall, a great experience from start to finish. Can't wait to go back.
Delicious lunch for Mother's Day. We had an assortment of starters including the olives, asparagus, pickled octopus and spiced ribs. All starters had great flavour! For mains we all had pizzas and they were delicious too. One small critique would be for the crust to be a little thinner around the edge. All in all a great lunch and lovely fresh produce. Will return for more!
I've only ever had their pizza and usually I get it takeaway. It has always been delicious.
Some of the staff need to work on their phone manner, they just seem a bit bored.
Over all I think Rita's is really good, I'm very keen to try the pasta.
It makes me so happy to see more and more great eateries in Abbotsford.
Yummy! The pizza here is delicious and you never leave dissatisfied! The staff are very friendly and relaxed. That's why I keep coming back for more! Do try if you haven't already.
Delicious!!!! Have to recommend the Linguini chilli prawn and prosciutto pizza. Great slight crunchy crust pizza and that linguini has a little kick to it - perfect! Only issue is the noise - nothing to absorb so it is very noisy. Other than that, we can't wait to go back!
Did an emergency coffee stop here late in the day. Though I can't comment on the food but the staff were lovely, the chef was tossing a large piece of dough for a pizza base like a real artist. The coffee was great!
Pizza pretty good, have been a few times with the last time being yesterday. Love the look if the place but the Pizza quality does vary a lot, but it is very convenient for lunch if you work in the area, just dont expect swift service
The wood fired pizzas from Rita's are really top notch. The are crispy and delicious. My favourites are the mushroom and smoked salmon pizza. The breakfast menu is a bit hit and miss and quite limited.
If you're after a good pizza you can't go wrong with Rita. The pizza has a thin base but a thick crust which is a little unusual for a pizza but it kinda works well. Never had anything else other than the Salty Pig. Still has traditional pizzas but I think you should try something a bit more adventurous.
I've ordered pizza from here a couple of times over the last few months and always forgot to review. Overall, the pizzas here are really delicious! The best one I think is the bingo bango. I always go half half though as I liked to have two different pizzas as only having one flavour gets boring. Zucchini is nice, pepperoni is delicious, potato is surprisingly good too. Overall, it's my go to place for pizza if I'm craving it.
Consistently good pizzas in a relatively low key but nicely outfitted restaurant. Great for a casual eat in, and also a good place to grab takeaway despite what it says on Zomato about no takeaway for this venue.
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Rita's Cafeteria was introduced to me as one of the places to go to for great pizza, funny enough I don't even rate the pizza that highly. I had stopped ordering the pizza after the 2nd trip. I found the pizzas to be quite thick crusted which I don't prefer and although the ingredients of the toppings were special, I didn't think they were worthy of the hype.
It was actually because of this, that I was fortunate enough to discover their main dishes! They are really tasty with a nice rustic style presentation. Prepared by a trendy hipster in the kitchen, he also uses a lot of micro greens for decoration. The menu is always changing and I love coming back to try out the new dishes on the menu. Prices range from high $20 to low $30.
Some examples which I've tried and loved include the octopus with squid ink, spatchcock and the caprese salad which consists of tomatoes, basil and buffalo mozzarella. So simple and yet it tastes so good! As the menu is always changing, you'll probably won't get the same dishes. However, it's great to know that you can enjoy something different every time you come back!
I really like Rita's Cafeteria because they provide very tasty dishes, with special flavours that I can't find anywhere else. I would highly recommend anyone to try out their main dishes, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
ItsTrueFatKidsLoveFood
+4
Fantastic pizza. Probably one of the best in the area. Pizza always has fresh ingredients and is consistently tasty.
Bingo Bango and the Mushroom pizzas are my favourite.
Only wish the pizzas were bigger.
Really great pizza, the tomato sauce is delicious and the bread is soo good you can tell they use quality ingredients. We had breakfast there a few weeks ago and that was nice too. Hidden gem in Abbotsford.
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I must confess I am a huge fan of Italian cuisine - with an obsessive craving for pizza and pasta. As a matter of fact, I would dine at an Italian restaurant once or twice a month. People think I'm crazy that I would strenuously sift through many pizza houses to separate the exceptional, the mediocre, and the bad ones. Well they don't call me pizza fanatic for nothing.
The ones that come to mind are DOC (Drummond st, Carlton) and it's the best in Melbourne in my humble opinion. Tiamo is another popular one which I go regularly. And Rita cafeteria (Abbotsford) is the one that I have recently added to my list. I was so impressed on the first visit that I decided to head back there again. The restaurant has an open kitchen and can accommodates around 40 guests. The dining space is surprisingly compact, and yet it seems to have a vibrant and warm atmosphere.
To start thing off, I ordered a glass of house wine (Shiraz); salty pig and mushroom pizzas as a starter. For the main, I had a ricotta gnocchi.
SALTY PIG PIZZA - The pizza had a puffy crust and a paper thinned base; crispy with a elastic-chewy but non doughy texture. As soon as that first bite of pizza landed on my palate; it exploded through a chain reaction. The saltiness of the anchovies and pancetta combined with the red hot fresh chillies created that extraordinary robust savour; and rocketed my taste buds into the stratosphere and out of this planet.🚀The garlic, caper, and the fresh basil added that extra dimension of complexity to the pizza. 😍
MUSHROOM PIZZA - generally it comes with a garlic base, however I requested the waitress to have the garlic omitted due to a special dietary requirements of my friend. When the pizza delivered to the table, it looked and smell amazing. The toppings included gruyere, fresh oregano, truffle oil, and portobello mushrooms. Each element worked so well with one and another. The sweet and salty character of the gruyere accentuated the flavour of the mushrooms. Last but not least, was a distinctive aroma of truffle oil that embodied the whole pizza, and took it from exceptional to sublime.❤️
RICOTTA GNOCCHI - the gnocchi here was one of the best I had. On this occasion, it was a rather a disappointing experience, the ricotta gnocchi they served was burned and charred.👎But that aside, I have to say the sweet chestnut puree and the earthy pan tossed mushrooms balanced nicely with the richness of ricotta gnocchi and shaved parmesan. Perhaps I might add, the dish could have garnished with some roasted pine nuts to give it that extra bit of nutty and crunchy texture.
Hopefully they continue to serve up great food consistently.
Great food eat in or take away. Service is always pleasant and helpful. We enjoy Friday night pizzas our particular favourite is the prosciutto pizza. Salty goodness!
I'm an avid carnivore so skeptical about the missus enthusiasm with the grape pizza. Glad to be proven wrong delightfully refreshing pizza and the ravioli with the beef ragu, my god... Staff seemed like she had a big night out before so seemed disinterested/bored. I'm here for the food though.
Whenever I have pizza I always order the potato/Rosemary base. Rita's has by far the BEST potato pizza I've ever tried. Holy moly definitely recommend
Fresh food with delicious tastes and great ambience. First visit to Rita's and i loved it. i ordered the pappardelle with duck ragu and when the dish came out it looked great. At first i thought it appeared a tad small but by the time i had finished i was glad it was the size it was - it was just enough so that i didn't feel really full - the pasta was cooked perfectly and the duck was amazing! Would definitely come back - the only thing was the noise level, we had to shout to each other to be heard. Once the table just near us left it seemed to quieten down! Next time i am going to try the pizza....definitely worth a try...
Great pasta! Great pizza! Great service!! Cannot fault this place. Amazing!!!
First timer here. Takeaway only as it was too busy which was cool. Pizza was almost great except... SOMEONE PUT WAY TOO MUCH SALT IN THE TOMATO SAUCE - both pizzas! Otherwise excellent but should not have been served like this.
Big Thanks!. A bunch of us booked in for an early dinner last Sunday. Big thanks because everyone loved their meals. Service was lovely and food yummy.
Excellent pizza restaurant. Great spot, good food and the service was up to speed. I have been several times now and really like the food and ambience.
One of best pizza venues in Melbourne. Yum, we frequent this place a lot & it never disappoints. The mushroom pizza & orecchiette pasta are amazing!
Love the pizza, very friendly staff, pretty good coffee.
This place is great for a casual Italian meal, their pizzas are a stand out.
Great coffee and the most amazing pancakes ever - apple crumble! Wow!!
Love the food and coffee at Rita's! One of my favourite brunch places in the area. Highly recommend the corn and halumi fritters. Only draw back is that they struggle dealing with big group booking (there were 15 of us today)
Went here for breakfast this morning. Service excellent- water, menus and coffee order taken within 30secs of walking in door. Coffee nothing to write home about, but not bad either. Food was fresh, serving just right. Pizza menu looks amazing... We will be back to try.
Worth your dough. I am a regular here purely for the Zucchini Pizza. Who knew that garlic, ricotta, mint, anchovies, zucchini and chilli was such a dream flavour combo. The pizza base is dusted with semolina which makes the super doughy base deliciously crunchy on the outside. The beer on tap is awesome, and I would have to disagree with the comments below about the service, I've never had a bad experience, in fact I've always find the service great.
Consistently delicious. I have been going to Rita's for a while now and have never had a bad meal. Food is sublime - especially the mushroom pizza, coffee is great, the place is lovely and I have no complaints about the staff. Easy and delicious.
Good food. Loved the pizza, nutella calzone to finish off also quite a devilish treat! Service good without being amazing but will definitely be back again to sample some more of the menu
Good & Bad.... Love the food, don't always love the service...
Living just around the corner, we were really excited to have Rita's open up in the area. We've been several times (always for dinner) and the pizzas have always been great, but service is seriously hit and miss (and when I say miss, I mean, complete, total, mystery as to why you'd treat anyone like that, let alone a paying customer!). Hint to the guys on staff, heavily pregnant ladies struggle to sit on high barstools pushed up against a bar. They're uncomfortable enough. Please don't try to force them to sit there, especially when there are seats available! Perhaps waiter #1 didn't think we were cool enough for the big table? Luckily waiter #2 saw our unhappy faces / an accident waiting to happen and relocated us immediately to available seating. There's definitely a bit of attitude from some of the staff, luckily it's balanced out by reasonable, compassionate service from other staff members.
Friendly, relaxed, welcoming. On first glance it looks like a hipster stronghold, but on entry, one is greeted with a smile, seating for one ofr groups, window seats, communal and booths and tables.
Great table service and waiting staff willing to explain the menu and know their wines well. In our case, the waitress perfectly matched a mid range glass of shiraz with our paste spot on, no fuss, and a good price.
Pastas and pizzas are perfect and unusual, fresh plates of ingrediants.
Love the breakfasts, the french toasts and all the usual egg dishes.
A welcome drop in this side of hoddle st, where the parking is good and before all the traffic woes.
Well done Ritas!!
Try breakfast. A bit sick of corn fritters and poached eggs I was thrilled to read innovative menu options including 'crab omlette' and 'citrus fruit granola.' These were completely delicious, along with the superb coffee and great value. A wonderful way to beat Collingwood Brunch Fatigue.
Great Service, fantastic food and even better coffee.
Pizza scores 11 out of 10. Best coffee this side of Hoddle. That is all.
Pizza is good, often oily but that can be overlooked. The prosciutto, neopolitana and pepperoni are unbeatable, simple and uncrowded with toppings.
The Nutella calzone is also nice, so much Nutella!
However the coffee is consistently disgraceful...
Also if you're sitting outside don't expect them to come out to you.
Gorgeous floral arrangements on long, beautiful tables. Warm lighting and easy-going staff. Citrus salad was so delicious it was like a dessert. Great coffee. Cannot wait to return to try a pizza!
Went to Rita's for the third time today and much like the two experiences before it was amazing. This cafe is a must go, they have amazing food, coffee and service!
Great quality. Rita's is a place you can consistently rely on for good food and service, the pizzas here are amazing, they also do gluten free pizza bases really well which is awesome, and they taste great! Couldn't recommend this place enough.
Rita's make great pizzas! Have been here a few times and never disappointed. Excellent ambience and friendly service.
Amazing pizza! Coffee moderate to good. Bit too milky for a strong late but only being picky. Pizzas right up there with DOC.
Fantastic. We are regulars at Rita's. the staff, food, service and ambience are fantastic. They obviously take a great deal of pride in their craft and it shows. I would thoroughly recommend Rita's and hope that people try it.
Awesome pizza and service. This is our new favourite local pizza! The best we have tried around the Collingwood/Fitzroy area. Really efficient take-out, it normally only takes 15 minutes for pick-up. We have dined in too and the service is good, really happy staff makes for a good atmosphere. I recommend the bingo bango pizza and the hawaiian is a good classic.
Consistently good food, friendly service and an interesting (small) wine list.
Great space, excellent service, amazing risotto and gnocchi.
Delightful dinner. After seeing this restaurant many a time on the way to work, it was great to finally get the chance to come and try it out! The service was efficient and the food and drinks arrived quickly - everything was delicious! The cod fritters were particularly delicious with their parsely mayonnaise, but the gnocchi duck ragout and the crab and prawn risottos were also fantastic. Not massive servings but enough. Adding a basket of fresh bread would seal the deal - will be here again!
Been for breakfast and thought the Spanish slant (salted cod omelette for example) was excellent. Catherine's ricotta hot cakes were great and nice they gave us some extra maple (was needed). Coffee is good but wouldn't be hard to add a single origin. Overall was glad that having gone past over ten times we finally stopped on the way to what would normally be a Pope Joan breakie!
Love love love but.... Love this place. Love the food, the decor and the service.
But why don't restaurants and cafes realise that diners simply do not like communal tables? Have to sit at the big table is the only let-down at Rita's.
If you're lucky enough to get a booth it's a dream.
Delicious affordable pizza. Would recommend.
Unpretentious & Delicious. This place is the epitome of "simple" well executed. The staff are friendly but not too familiar, and this casual vibe carries through every touchpoint. The clean white subway tiles, warm dark timber, and open kitchen all make for a cosy and unpretentious dining experience. Let's not forget the food! All of the dishes are delicious, but the pizzas are the hero at Rita's; minimalist toppings on a standout base coated in semolina that makes for an oh-so-tasty meal.
The coffees are also fast and hit the spot.
This place is awesome! I go here quite regularly, I've had both pasta's and pizzas and both are great, not expensive, good house red wine to go with my meals. You can't book for a small number of people but its never been a problem they are very accommodating!
Cool design with unfussy interiors and friendly staff. I hear their thin-based pizzas are awesome but last week I chose the prawn spaghetti and it was delicious. Can't wait to go back.
Perfection. This eatery gives you everything you ask for. It felt warm and friendly, has a great vibe and the food was delicious. Having an open kitchen with the staff enjoying themselves also adds a touch of class. What more do you need? I'll be back.
The best pizza in melbourne... Gourmet with a secret recipe for their bases absolutely delicious... A must try for any melbournian or tourist.. Bon apetite !!
Good coffee, delicious food, great eggwork. Could have got my Coffee out faster so I could have had another.
One of the most perfecto snapper fillets EVER. We were expecting delicious pizza and got it: the Bingo Bango spicy meaty deal, and a veg pizza with Cavolo nero, grapes and blue cheese. Really good. But we were blown away by a perfectly cooked and seasoned snapper fillet that we all also shared. A great tiramisu for dessert too-- not too sweet, just perfect. Happy to see Rita's makes breakfast, too, and they're right on a handy train line. We'll be back.
Brilliant!. Brilliant pizza, brilliant pasta. great service. all very reasonably priced. the mushroom, eggplant and prosciutto pizzas are among the best. have been here 4 times and it just gets better - i am seriously bewildered at the negative reviews.
Awesome. Great food , great coffee, friendly down to earth staff, and a nice vibe. Don't bother coming.. You'll hate it....... And I'd rather have it still comfortable..
Better than expected!. I was a little worried after booking Rita's and reading some of the reviews. I have to say I was very pleasently surprised. There were 12 of us, the staff were fantastic, I love the look of the place and the food was great. I would agree with previous comments that the size of the share plates at the start of the meal are on the small side, however the main meals were perfect! Our group mainly ordered pizza or pasta and every single one of us was very happy with the food. We had drinks and some dessert and the bill was very reasonable. The place was absolutely full to the brim on a Monday night (lots of locals) and they were serving take away pizzas as well which I think says a lot about a place. I think Rita's is a little winner and I will definitely be going back.....maybe will try breakfast next.
I like it. Thanks for the great food and great service, it's always a pleasure at Rita's.
My favourite Italian by far.... So happy to find a fantastic family feel Italian. I've been to Rita's for breakfast and dinner and loved every single mouthful! The coffee is always brilliant and their eggs benedict is such a perfect start to the day.
The pizzas are so delicious, especially the salmon. My all time favourites are the gnocchi with pancetta and the prawn and crab meat risotto. New entree additions like the salt cod are amazing too.
I can't wait to go again!
Thumbs Up!. We ordered several pizza's including one gluten free along with the meatball starter. The meatballs were excellent. The mushroom pizza was by far the best - super tasty. The gluten free base was pretty good but not the best I've tasted.
Yeah, you may leave smelling like pizza, but who cares. I don't think this is a 'ventilation issue'.
Thumbs up! will return to try the pasta.
The food is yummy and coffee is great. However the portions are TINY!! Based on the latter, I would not go back.
Food, ambience and staff all totes heaven.
I've been to Rita's a number of times and love the mushroom bruschetta with avocado on the side. It's a little bit expensive, but the ingredients used seem really fresh and the taste very satisfying. Also a must try is the fresh OJ.
My mushroom bruscetta was delicious! My boyfriends croque madam was yum but wld have been better with mustard. Their chai latte was a bit weak n milky. Love the decor. Def coming back.
Best pizza an pasta round
I love this place. Friendly vibe, great food- our new regular.
Rita's Cafeteria. We wanted something near to the Covent in Abbotsford to meet friends for dinner, this cafe was a pleasant surprise - great menu, lovely Rita shiraz! We shared antipasto followed by pizzas - which were fresh, gourmet and tasty!! Seating was comfortable, staff friendly and helpful - could not have asked for anymore :-)
The food was simple reasonably priced and quite frankly, outstanding. My daughter was star struck by out of work "neighbours" actor turned waiter Sam.
7.5/10. Cool place, welcoming staff, veg-friendly menu. The pappardelle was outstanding. Although on this occasion, the pizza did not quite reach the heights of some other establishments (such as Ladro or Mulatta), it was still pretty good. We will be back.
Delicious. Had an end of financial year office dinner there last night. Service was good - plenty of staff. Food was delicious - Pizza, Pasta, Risotto, Desert - were all DELICIOUS. It is clear the produce used is fresh! Will definitely return. Looking forward to breakfast!
Yummy pizza, vegie-friendly. I went on a Saturday night for dinner in a group of seven. A few of us were late, which was actually fortuitous as we also didn't get our table until about 8 20 - a bit of awkward standing by the door but it was ok. Great pizza menu (4 of seven were vegies so we chose to share 5 vegie pizzas between us) and a reasonable wine list. The pick of the pizzas I tried (cavolo nero, punkrock, mushroom, zucchini, eggplant) were the mushroom (lots of truffle oil and cheese) and the cavolo nero (grapes, walnuts, gorgonzola). House pinot noir underwhelming but fine. Atmosphere is cosy - I think we were lucky to get a booth table so we could all cosy in a corner away from the hustle and bustle. This place is going to be very busy.
Yummers, mostly. Have been to Rita's a few times now - the pizza is great, although I have had one excellent pizza (came down to the base, really) when it first opened, and then one 'quite good' one (the base again) - wouldn't it be amazing if they were all excellent? The braised lamb sandwich is to die for. Had breakfast a couple of times there though, and it was always a bit disappointing - both times my eggs were cold - little touches were missing. Go to Bomb (a couple of doors down from Rita's) for your eggs, Rita's for pizza!!
Went here for dinner last night wth two others. Shared two large (13") pizzas and a salad. Recommend the potato, rosemary and truffle oil one: my only gripe being the potatoes were not thinly cut with a mandolin- they were way too chunky for a pizza topping! The salad was also way too salty. The place is noisy on a Saturday, so probably not a place to sit and talk. Like another reviewer on here, we were overcharged $12 for two beers we didnt have. (but I spotted this mistake immediately, and the bill was altered)
Would like to try again, but maybe on a quieter night.
A welcome addition to Johnston street.
Finally. Restaurant worth going in the Abbotsford/ Johnson street area. Best Pizza I have had in a long while. Gnocchi amazing. No downfalls with the restaurant, layout is awesome, great clean feel. Would defiantly recommend to others.
Yes please. 55 Steps from the Vic park stations to a ice cold pot and a large margherita for under 20 bucks what the?
New Local!. We brought the whole gang in for dinner last night, and overall was pretty impressed, the waitstaff were all bubbly and happy to accommodate us, The food was good:
cavolo nero pizza with blue cheese, walnuts and grapes, i found the base to be crunchy and delicious
spaghetti with homemade meatballs with ice burg and cucumber salad both good
There seems as there could be an issue with parking at Rita's being on Johnston st, but we had no problem our visit being on a sunday
I did look at my receipt after reading the previous review, GST is included into the price of my bill unlike Europe or the States where you can find yourself paying duty on top of the price
Awsome. Great Pizza and coffee, lovely fit out. Will definitely be a regular diner here.
Probably the best pizza I have had- in or outside of Italy. Perfect base and wonderful fresh and well balanced toppings. Staff were friendly, attentive but relaxed. Can't wait to come back for breakfast!
Fantastic!!. Johnston St Abbotsford has been screaming for a place like this!! We were doing our laundry next door and smelt the pizza!! The lay out is simply, the white tiles and mosaic at the door are a great finish.
Pizzas were incredible, and the pasta although not usually my choice, divine!!
Very nice feel to this place and the staff are all relaxed and attentive.
Will definitely be back to try lunch or coffee next time...
This place rocks!!!
Great Pizza. Had a pizza from here on the weekend and it was excellent. I've been waiting for a place in this area that can do a good pizza and a reasonable price. Good work.
SO YUMMY!. Heard about this new cafe and tried it out for dinner. Thought it was beautifully presented and very stylish. I thought the food was amazing. The pizza was tasty and the pasta too. The octopus was so good I actually ate octopus!! The staff are friendly too. Loved it so much tried it out next day for my coffee fix and again was delighted. This is now officially my new coffee spot.
The Hungry Excavator
+4.5
The food is great in quality and execution but what I enjoy most about Rita's is that it's very authentic but you get to see lots of interesting dishes that you may not see at your standard or traditional Italian restaurants. Keeps things interesting.
I loved how cheesy it was, with the cheese stretching around all over the place and the toppings were great, fresh and quite abundant. I think I found the base a little firmer than I'm used to, not something I minded, but just something a bit different.
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